Good News 14:00

BULLETIN 23 February 2 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# The privately-built spacecraft Odysseus has made history, by becoming the first American spacecraft to land on the moon in over 50 years. The Odysseus lander’s mission is designed to assess the lunar environment of the moon’s south pole, ahead of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s plan to return a crewed mission there in 2026. The spacecraft belongs to Houston-based Intuitive Machines. NASA’s administrator, Bill Nelson, called the mission a triumph:

# Several new artists have been added to the line-up for the second annual Journey to Jazz Festival scheduled to take place from the first to the fifth of May in Prince Albert, Western Cape. South African jazz vocalist, pianist, and composer, Thandi Ntuli; Women of the World from the Berklee Indian Ensemble, and a quintet of three-South Africans and two Swiss artists, Skyjack, have joined the prestigious line-up. The organisers say the festival will be a mixture of modern and classic jazz.

# Hakem Energies founder, Refilwe Sebothoma, is on a mission to revolutionise energy solutions amid South Africa’s persistent load-shedding challenges. Through her company, she is championing the use of liquid petroleum gas, particularly in rural communities and townships, providing a safe and sustainable alternative to traditional fuel sources. Sebothoma says she has witnessed first-hand the struggles faced by many in accessing clean energy:

# Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development, Lebogang Maile, is set to launch the Kasi-4-Real housing programme in Soweto today. The real estate access lending, introduced by the Gauteng Partnership Fund, aims to address housing shortages and formalise backyard developments in townships. The programme seeks to fund potential township developers to create sustainable, dignified living spaces and address the demand for affordable housing.

# And finally: The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is looking to recruit its first-ever professional Taylor Swift adviser. The world’s largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, wants a super fan of the 14-time Grammy-winning singer, to share insights into fan culture and the memorabilia that Swift’s devotees collect and create. Applications open today. The museum wants to appoint someone ahead of the 34-year-old pop star’s European leg of her Eras tour later this year.

Stay tuned for more news………….